The invention relates to the controlling of equipment functions by way of physical keys. In particular, the invention relates to the controlling of functions of an information and communication system in a vehicle by means of physical keys.
Today's vehicles (for example, motor vehicles) usually have information and communication systems, which, in a central manner, can provide functions, such as radio, audio, navigation, telephony, air-conditioning control, etc. For controlling the diverse functions, such systems typically have a plurality of physical keys and a video screen. The video screen can, for example, be used for indicating a menu of the information and communication system, and the plurality of physical keys can be used for the navigation within the menu and for the selection/initiation of defined functions.
In order to accelerate the selection of frequently used functions of the information and communication system, physical function keys can be made available with a pressing of the physical function keys directly initiating a preassigned function of the information and communication system. Function keys therefore enable a user to comfortably and rapidly select frequently used functions. However, this is possible only for a limited number of functions because the number of available function keys is generally limited by the space and the desired clarity of the instrument panel of a vehicle (for example, to fewer than 10 function keys).
The present invention describes an input device for an information and communication system (IK System), which permits the allocating of an arbitrarily higher number of frequently used functions to a limited number of physical function keys, and thereby allow a fast and comfortable input of these functions by way of the limited number of physical keys without increasing the number of function keys. In other words, the device according to the invention permits an increased input efficiency in the case of a possibly reduced space requirement for the physical keys on the instrument panel of a vehicle.
According to one aspect, a control unit is described for an information and communication system of a vehicle. The control unit is equipped to receive a sequence of sensor signals. The sequence of sensor signals comprises a sequence of sensor signals of different proximity sensors of corresponding different mechanical function keys. The mechanical (i.e. physical) function keys are typically arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional keypad. Usually at least one proximity sensor is assigned to the individual mechanical function keys, which proximity sensor generates a sensor signal when a physical body (for example, an object or a user's finger) approaches the assigned function key. The at least one proximity sensor may be arranged, for example, below, inside or in the direct proximity of the mechanical function key. The sequence of sensor signals can therefore reflect a temporal sequence of the approach of the physical body toward the assigned different function keys.
Corresponding first functions of the information and communication system of the vehicle are assigned to the mechanical function keys. These first functions may, for example, be predefined by a user. The mechanical function keys are set up for triggering the corresponding assigned function when the function key is operated. For example, by operating a function key, a triggering signal can be generated by the function key (for example, by a switch or a contact of the mechanical function key), which is received by the control unit. By means of the triggering signal and by means of a function list, the control unit can then determine the first function for the operated function key and trigger the implementation of the first function.
The control unit is set up for detecting, from the sequence of the sensor signals, a swiping event over (or on or above the surface of, or in the direct proximity of the, or on the) mechanical function keys. A swiping event may, for example, comprise the movement of the physical body over at least two (adjacent) mechanical function keys. The at least two mechanical function keys may, for example, be horizontally or vertically adjacent. Furthermore, the at least two mechanical function keys may directly adjoin one another. The movement over the at least two function keys is detected by the proximity sensors of the mechanical function keys and results in a sequence of at least two sensor signals (corresponding to the respective proximity sensors). A swiping event can therefore comprise the condition that the sequence of sensor signals corresponds to the sensor signals of proximity sensors of corresponding (directly) adjacent mechanical function keys. The control unit can be equipped to check whether this condition has been met.
Furthermore, a swiping event may comprise the condition that a time interval between at least two mutually successive sensor signals of the sequence of sensor signals is shorter than a sensor time interval (for example, 0.5 seconds or 1 second). The control unit may be equipped to examine whether this condition has been met. In other words, in an embodiment, a swiping event may be present only when the movement over the at least two (adjacent) function keys takes place at a minimum speed.
The requirement of the minimum speed or of the maximal time internal may be used for separating the swiping event from an event in which the user wants to select a specific function key and, in the process, slides (relatively slowly) over different function keys of the keypad (in the present document, the latter event is called a detail event).
The control unit is equipped for assigning corresponding second functions of the information and communication system to the mechanical function keys when a swiping event is detected. In other words, a user is enabled to assign new (i.e. second) functions to the mechanical function keys by means of a swiping movement over at least two adjacent function keys. The second functions generally differ from the first functions. Typically, the second functions of the function keys can also be predefined by the user. As a result of the assignment of the new, second functions, the function keys are now equipped to initiate the respectively assigned second function (and no longer the respectively assigned first function) when a function key is operated.
The control unit may further be equipped for displaying a graphic output (or abbreviated as “output”) on a video screen of the information and communication system. The video screen may be a dedicated video screen, which is mounted in the direct proximity of the keypad, and is provided specifically for the display of the graphic output. As an alternative, it may be a central video screen of the information and communication system, on which also information of other applications of the information and communication system (for example, radio, navigation, audio, etc.) is displayed. The graphic output may comprise function descriptions for the first and/or second functions assigned to the mechanical function keys. The respective function descriptions may comprise pictorial elements (such as icons) and/or written elements (such as numbers, names, etc.), and thereby describe the function for be triggered by means of the function key (for example, a radio function, a navigation function, a telephone function, an audio function).
In particular, the graphic output may comprise a first page with the function descriptions of the first functions and a second page with the function descriptions of the second functions. The control unit may then be equipped to change from the display of the first page of the graphic output to the display of the second page of the graphic output when the swiping event is detected. As a result, a user may be given the impression that, by means of a swiping motion over the keypad, he can scroll forward or backward between different pages of the graphic output (and therefore between different groups of functions, i.e. the group of first functions and the group of second functions).
The control unit may be equipped for detecting a detail event from the sequence of sensor signals, a detail event comprising that the time interval between at least two successive sensor signals of the sequence of sensor signals is greater than a sensor time interval. In other words, a detail event comprises a relative slow movement of the physical body over the at least two adjacent function keys. This relative slow motion can be interpreted by the control unit as a searching by the user for the desired function and the desired function key. For supporting this search, the control unit can be equipped for highlighting at least one function description of the first functions in the graphic output. Typically, the highlighting in the graphic output follows the user's motion, so that, according to the sequence of the function keys, over which the motion takes place, the respective function descriptions are highlighted.
The control unit may also be equipped for determining a direction of the swiping event from the sequence of sensor signals. Conceivable directions of the swiping event are, for example, horizontal from the left to the right, horizontal from the right to the left, vertically upwards, and vertically downwards. The control unit may therefore be equipped to determine the second functions, which are assigned to the mechanical function keys, depending on the direction of the swiping event. When the graphic output comprises a plurality of pages, the control unit may be equipped for displaying other pages with function descriptions of other functions, depending on the direction of the swiping event.
According to a further aspect, an input device for a vehicle is described. The input device comprises a keypad, which comprises at least two mechanical function keys. At least one proximity sensor respectively is assigned to the at least two mechanical function keys, the at least one proximity sensor being equipped for generating a sensor signal, when the presence of a physical body is detected in the (direct) proximity of the assigned mechanical function key. Thus, a sequence of at least two corresponding sensor signals can be generated by a movement over the at least two mechanical function keys. Corresponding first functions are assigned to the mechanical function keys, the mechanical function keys being equipped for triggering the respectively assigned function when the function key is operated.
The input device further comprises a control unit according to one of the aspects described in this document. The control unit is equipped for receiving the sequence of sensor signals of the proximity sensors of the at least two function keys. Furthermore, the control unit is equipped for detecting from the sequence of sensor signals a swiping event over the keypad and, when a swiping event is detected, assigning corresponding second functions to the at least two function keys. The input device may further comprise a video screen which is equipped for displaying a graphic output. The graphic output may comprise function descriptions for the first and/or second functions assigned to the mechanical function keys.
According to a further aspect, a process is described for the multiple allocation of different functions to mechanical function keys. The process comprises the detection of a sequence of sensor signals of different proximity sensors of corresponding different mechanical function keys. Corresponding first functions predefined by a user are assigned to the mechanical function keys. The mechanical function keys are equipped for triggering the respective assigned function when the function key is operated. The process further comprises the detection of a swiping event over the (or on the) different mechanical function elements from the sequence of sensor signals. In this case, a swiping event comprises the condition that the sequence of sensor signals corresponds to the sensor signals of proximity sensors of corresponding adjacent mechanical function keys. When a swiping event is detected, corresponding second functions predefined (by the user) are assigned to the mechanical function keys.
It should be noted that the processes, devices and systems described in this document can be used alone as well as in combination with other processes, devices and systems described in this document. Furthermore, any aspects of the processes, device and systems can be mutually combined in multiple manners. In particular, the characteristics of the claims can be mutually combined in multiple manners.